Tag Archives: classroom management

As part of a science methods class, we’ve been assigned to create an observation tool to assess students. I’ve seen many articles and suggestions online for helping students become good observers and tools for administrators to use when observing teachers. But I haven’t seen much on teachers observing students. What can I assess by watching […]

I’ve recently switched from a self-contained sixth-grade classroom to a middle school science position where I meet with five different classes each day. I find it challenging to connect with students the way I used to when I had the same students all day. —Jessie, Seattle, Washington I remember a time my principal called into […]

My colleague and I are early–career science teachers at a middle school. Rather than our reinventing the wheel, do you have any suggestions how to make lab days run more smoothly, especially at the beginning and end of the class? –Sean, Oakland, California To ensure lab periods run smoothly (and safely), planning and preparation are […]

I feel overwhelmed by the grading process. It seems like I spend most of my waking hours grading homework, lab reports, tests, quizzes, notebooks, and projects. I teach two science courses at the high school and meet 150 students every day. What can I do to use my time better and meet the deadlines? —Stacy, […]

This April, the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) will feature a special strand “Teaching Elementary Science with Confidence!” at our 2014 National Conference on Science Education, in Boston, April 3–6. With limited time, resources, and opportunities to learn science, elementary teachers sometimes find teaching science within the school day to be challenging. There is a […]

I’m a new elementary teacher, and I love seeing how students get excited doing hands–on science activities. But the students can get out of hand and I have a hard time focusing them on the activity. Any advice on channeling their enthusiasm with good classroom management would be great! —Carolyn, Hartford, Connecticut Most students of […]

As a new science teacher, your first year of teaching is well underway. You’ve been facing the challenges that all new teachers face—learning your students’ names, how to manage your classroom, the best ways to engage your students, and how to account to your administrators for all that you do. But science teachers face other […]

I’m trying to incorporate more inquiry activities into my fourth and fifth grade science classes. The students seem to enjoy them, and I can tell from talking to them and reviewing their notebook entries that they are learning content and skills. However , my principal has noted to me that students were off-task during his […]

A recent Huffington Post article (Kiera Wilmot, 16, Arrested And Expelled For Explosive ‘Science Experiment’) has drawn quite a bit of attention from our readers. And it certainly got our attention as well. The National Science Teachers Association promotes excellence and innovation in science teaching for all, and we value the need for supervision and […]

The 2013 National Science Foundation (NSF) report Women, Minorities, and Persons With Disabilities in Science and Engineering indicates that “U.S. citizens and permanent residents earned higher numbers of science and engineering (S&E) doctorates in 2009 than they did in 1999. Since 2008, they’ve earned more doctorates in S&E fields than in non-S&E fields.” In 2010, the […]